Man City Women expecting record crowd as Lionesses return

BUMPER: More than 1,000 have already got their tickets for Sunday's game

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Manchester City Women are set to play in front of a record crowd on Sunday.

The Blues take on Birmingham Ladies as the Women's Super League resumes after pausing for the World Cup.

Excitement built around the England team in the tournament and 1.6 million tuned in into the night for their dramatic semi-final with Japan last week.

With five City stars - captain Steph Houghton, Karen Bardsley, Lucy Bronze, Jill Scott and Toni Duggan - returning to the Blues after their involvement with the national side, the appetite to watch City Women has never been greater.

They are well on course to smash their current record crowd, which came in May 2014 when 1,462 turned up at the Etihad to see the Blues beat Everton in the Continental Cup.

City's England contingent are keen to get back on the pitch having arrived back in the country earlier this week.

"Definitely. I'm not missing out," said Bronze when asked if she would be available for City's next game.

"I love playing football and cant wait (to play again). I know we have just landed and what not and we'll have a few days off but I just can't wait to get back into training whether that's for City, the club or by myself. I love it and can't wait to play again at the weekend.

"Some of the other girls are probably exhausted because it is such a relief to finally come away having done something at a tournament. They might be overblown with emotion whereas as I'm raring to go - it has just spurred me on for the next one."

Bronze celebrates her goal against Canada with City teammate Houghton

And midfielder Scott said: "Hopefully we can keep going now and get the crowds out, keep the interest going - we said we wanted to go away and inspire a nation and hopefully that is what we have done.

"It is fantastic to come home with a bronze medal and now we can get back to club training, we have all got games at the weekend so it will be a quick turnaround."

Both City and Birmingham will be looking to kickstart their league campaign on Sunday.

Having picked up four points from their opening two games, City are winless in their last three games.

Their opponents have fared even worse, picking up just three points from six games so far to sit seventh in the eight-team league.

City have strengthened during the break with the signing of 22-year-old Daphne Corboz. The attacking midfielder joins Nick Cushing's squad from Georgetown University in America.